Clip for supporting dresses



(No Model.) I

E. 0. MIX

CLIP FOR SUPPORTING DRESSES, &0.

Patented Dec. 13,

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EDWARD oj MIX, oFJERsEY' CITY, NEW JnRsEr' CLIP FOR SUPPORTING DRESSES, as;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,757, dated December 13, 1892.

Application filed July 15, 1892. Serial No. 440jl 5. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD 0. MIX, a citizen of the United States, residing in Jersey' City, in the county of Hudson and State of.

andwhich will not impair. the most delicatematerial to which it is applied.

To this end, in carrying out the preferred form of my invention, I construct the clip of preferably shell-shaped jaws and a substantially-elliptical spring maintaining the jaws in position and giving them their elastic grasping tendency, the jaws and spring being constructed to in themselves constitute the three essential members of the clip and to each prevent the displacement of the other, andI construct the jaws at their gripper ends the one with an elastic rubberorcushion, which is held in the jaw in an improved manner, and the other with a substantially-straight end adapted to contact with the dress to hold it against the cushion of the other jaw.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the preferred form of my improved dress-clip, the spring being shown partially in section. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of any improved clip, and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing a modification.

Referring to the drawings, let A indicate the clip as a whole; B, the supporting-cord, which may be attached to the waist of. the user; 0, one of the jaws; D,the opposing jaw; E, the intermediate spring connecting and actuating the jaws, and F the rubber or other cushion for protecting the material engaged by the clip.

The jaws O and D arev constructed with handle ends ab, respectively, and gripping;

C passes at its handle end into and through the slot c, and is engaged toward its middle portion by the notch g of the outer edge of the spring, and the jaw 1) passes through the slotf at its handle end and is engaged near its middle by the notch h at the outer edge of the spring. By this provision the slots e and f and the notchesg and it serve to retain the jawsin relative lateral position, and the portion of the spring E between their handle endsyields when these ends are pressed together to serve as an elastic connection or fulcrum between the jaws. To lock the jaws against longitudinal displacement relatively to the spring or to each other according to my invention, I provide interengaging faces or shoulders on the jaws and spring. Preferably these are disposed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where the respective jaws are'shown as constructed with opposite recesses or shoulders it, adapted to receive the projecting endsjj of the spring E when the jaws respectively pass into their notches g and h in the ends of the spring. By this provision the inner and outer faces of the spring E abut against the opposite faces of the recesses 13 of the jaws, and thereby serve to prevent longitudinal movement of either jaw relatively to the spring or to the other jaw. This simple provision also serves to render the connection between the jaws and spring more stable and avoids complication in the assembling of the parts and permits their ready separation for replacement or repair.

According to my invention the handled of the jawO is constructed with a beaded or upset hole or eye 70, to which the'cord B may be attached to the clip. "\(Vhegi I preferably construct the slot 6 with an enlargement e to permit the passage through the slot of the beaded portion surrounding the eye k. Y

According to my invention I provide certb us constructed,

lower portion 91, adapted to enter the spacebeneath the overturned fiangel contracted to form a groove 0, fitting this flange, and exteriorly thereof projecting outwardly in the form of a lip 10, which preferably terminates about centrally of the overturned flange l and isof curved outline substantially corresponding to that of the end of the jaw. By this construction the cushion F can be placed in position and forced home against the claws m until these penetrate its body and the cushion is well seated in position, whereupon by slight pressure against the ends of the claws the latter can be-bent to preventthe dis placement of the cushion, as best seen in Fig.-

2. Thelip 12 will then concealthe connection between the jawand its cushion and serve as a contact-face for the cushion, sufficingto keep the larger portion of the material engaged by the clip out of contact with the jaw C, but leaving-the lower rounded edge of the fiangel of this jaw exposed back of the surface of the lip of the cushion and in position to receive the impingement of the outer end of the other jaw B.

A feature of my invention is providing a cushion in only one jaw. The other jaw is preferably constructed with a very slightlycupped gripper end (I, terminating in a rounded and almost straight end q, which moves against the flange Z of the other jaw, while its inner face impinges against the lower edge of the lip 17 of the cushion F. lVhen'thus con-' structed,the material engaged by the clip will beheld between the face of the cushion and the inner face of the jaw D, the bulk of the material being located in the space or chamber G between the jaws and above the cushion F and the reniainer thereof being firmly gripped at the end of the clip.

In operation the clip is opened by seizing the handle ends a b of the jaws and forcing them toward each other, thereby distending the elliptical spring E and separating the jaws. \Vhen released, the spring will force the jaws together. The cushion F will prevent impairment of the fabric or other material engaged by the clip. Should either jaw become impaired, the spring E can be distended by the hand and the jaw disengaged from its notch, whereupon it can be readily slid from its slot. A new jaw can then be substituted by sliding its end in the slot and then distending the spring sutficiently to bring the jaw into engagement with its notch.

It will be seen that my invention provides an improved clip which is simple and effective in operation,'which will hold with great It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction and arrangement described as the preferred form of myinvention, as these may bemodified without departing from its essential .featnre's.

Fig.3 shows a modification of the fastening device for locking the jaw to the spring. According to this construction, instead of providing the recesses in the sides of the jaws, (here lettered 'D',) I provide abutting faces on the jaw, consisting of a ridge 4 at the inner side of the end of the spring E (here lettered E) and ashoulder '5" adjacent to 'the slot f of the spring. By this construction the shoulder z" prevents outward movement of the jaw, while the shoulder '6" prevents-its-inward movement.

What I claim is, in clips for supporting I 1. -In-a clip, the combination, withthe gripper-jaws O and D, constructed with handle ends a and b andwith recesses'it', of the curved spring -E, constructed with slots e f, adapted to receive said handle ends, and constructed with inwardly-curved ends adapted "to act against said jaws and force them'together, and

constructed with projecting-ends jj, adapted i to engage said recesses to prevent relative movement of the parts.

2. In a'clip, the combination, with a curved spring E, having slots e f atback and having inturned ends adapted to act against the jaws and constructed with notches g 'h, in'oom-bination with the jaws of the clip 0 d, constructed to enter said slots, respectively, and adapted when acted on by the inturned ends of the spring to enter said notches g h, respectively, whereby their lateral displacement is prevented.

3. In a clip, the combination, with the spring E, of a gripping-jaw C, constructed with a cupshaped portion a and an overturned flange Z, of a cushion F, constructed with an inner-portion n, a recess 0, and an outer portion or lip 19, overhanging said flange and adapted to receive the im pingement oft-he opposing jaw of the clip. i

4. In acli p, the combination, with the spring E and the opposing jaw D, of the jaw C,con-

structed with the overturned flange land.

claws m m, and the cushion F, having a portion a entering behind said flange l and adapted to be secured in position by said claws m.

5. In a clip, the combination, with a spring E and the opposing jaws C D, the one of said jaws constructed with acup-shaped gripping my name in the presence of two subscribing end 0 and an overturned flange Z and the other witnesses.

of said jaws constructed with a cup-shaped 1 i gripping end d and with a plain edge 1 adapt- EDWARD 5 ed to act against said overturned flange when WVitnesses:

the jaws are in engagement. GEORGE H. FRASER,

In witness whereof I'ha ve hereunto signed CHARLES K. FRASER. 

